


It Gets Better

by sunflow_rs



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cute Teddy Lupin, Dog - Freeform, Harry Potter Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, M/M, Minor Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Service Animals, harry has a dog
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-12 22:36:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12969873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflow_rs/pseuds/sunflow_rs
Summary: Soldier, Harry's PTSD service dog, filled the void in his life without asking difficult questions or forcing him into therapy.





	It Gets Better

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tiaan](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Tiaan).



Harry hated to think of what he would have done without Soldier, his three year-old border collie. His apartment had felt lonely when it was just him living there, especially with the bustle and noise of London’s Charing Cross Road directly below his second storey windows. It was strange without the fast-paced urgency that the Burrow had when he visited the Weasley’s, or even Grimmauld Place when it was used as one of the Order’s safe houses. Of course now Sirius and Remus were gone, as were many others, and leaving Hogwarts had only emphasised Harry’s loneliness and grief.

He had Hermione to thank for the idea of getting a PTSD service dog. After she had witnessed him experiencing various panic attacks and having been at the receiving end of excuses against socialising, Hermione had pushed the idea. After being used as a pawn in Dumbledore’s plan for defeating Voldemort, Harry’s trust had diminished and he was conscious of a metaphoric dementor seeming to follow him around. The anxiety and bad moods were at least easier to explain to an empty flat, than his friends. 

Soldier filled the void in Harry’s life without asking difficult questions or forcing him into therapy. 

Said dog perked his ears at a noise from outside. Deeming it insignificant he lay his head back onto his front paws and sighed. Harry smiled a little at the comfort he got through the feeling of protection. As the chosen one he had always had to do the protecting. Right through from living at the Dursley’s and having to shield himself from their constant abuse, to being the wizard instructed with saving the world from Voldemort. Now he had someone to look out for him, albeit a dog. 

Soldier allowed Harry to leave the safety of his apartment without feeling like a target was still on his back. Slipping on some shoes and attaching a leash to the red service dog vest Solider wore, Harry unlocked the front door. Having Soldier with him lessened his nerves and through it he was discovering gradual changes in his behaviour. No longer did he feel the need to survey the street before stepping outside of his apartment building, and nor think that every neon sign was a flash of the Avada Kedavra curse. 

The afternoon was mildly warm and a pleasant breeze swept the neighbourhood, making it a perfect time for Harry to take Soldier out for his daily walk. It allowed himself a breath of fresh air, the cramped apartment occasionally feeling claustrophobic. Sometimes socialisation was what Harry needed and Soldier helped him obtain this, so Harry began slowly making his way towards Andromeda Tonks’ house. Sometimes he found himself over at her’s unannounced to visit his godson. Teddy loved seeing Harry and Soldier; the dog quickly becoming the boy’s favourite. Other times Harry ended up at Ron and Hermione’s small house, yet neither minded it, pleased that their friend was no longer shutting himself away with only the bare walls as company.

Harry knocked on the door, careful not to be too loud in case the three year-old was sleeping. Andromeda answered, a warm smile on her face and flour on her robes. Soldier, despite undoubtedly smelling cookies, remained obediently sitting at Harry’s feet. 

“Harry, dear boy. Come in.” She stepped aside, ushering the twenty year-old into the modest living area. “Teddy and I have just been doing some baking, haven't we.” She ruffled the brilliant blue waves on her grandson’s head. 

Teddy, who had been sitting on the floor in front of the oven, leapt up at the mention of Harry. Squealing, he ran over on his little legs and Harry laughed nervously, as Soldier walked in circles around him in an attempt to prevent Teddy’s inevitable physical contact. 

“Uh uh, Teddy. What have we talked about?” Andromeda, having noticed Harry’s discomfort, prevented her grandson from hugging his godfather. “Go and wash your hands, you have sugar and - no don't lick it off!”

Teddy giggled and Harry couldn’t resist but smile in return.

“Harry, I hope you don't mind but I actually need to leave for a meeting. Teddy has a babysitter coming, however you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like.”

Harry nodded. “Thank you, Andromeda. I really appreciate it.”

She smiled warmly, sympathy evident in her eyes but Harry ignored it. He hated that everyone felt sorry for him, but Mrs. Tonks meant well. Her house was one of the few he felt comfortable in aside from his own. 

“Hawry?”

“Yes, Ted?” Harry knelt down, to be at eye level with the boy who had returned from cleaning his hands. 

“Can I pet Sol?”

Letting the dog off the leash, Harry agreed. “Yes you can, thank you for asking first.”

It was just five minutes after Andromeda had left via floo, and four minutes since one of the cookies had mysteriously disappeared from the table, when the babysitter knocked on the door. Telling himself that the person knew Mrs. Tonks and Teddy and was therefore trustworthy, Harry pushed down his anxiety as he went to let them in. 

“Malfoy?”

The blonde looked almost as shocked as Harry, yet recovered quickly as he entered the house. “Potter.” He said curtly, looking around the living room and seeing Teddy outside the sliding doors playing with Soldier. “Why is my cousin playing with a random dog?”

Harry laughed uncomfortably. If Andromeda had explained the babysitter was Malfoy, then he would have rethought staying. “That’s Soldier, he’s my dog.”

Draco raised a thinly arched eyebrow, either he had just noticed the service dog vest or he was quietly insulting the name.

Just as Harry was working out what to say next, Teddy looked up from his game of fetch and cheered as he rushed back inside. “Dwaco!”

“Hey buddy!” Draco grinned, ducking down to Teddy’s height and wrapping an arm loosely around his shoulders. “Who’s your friend?” He gave Soldier a scratch behind his ear while Harry marvelled over how good the Slytherin was with kids. 

“This is Sol.” Teddy said proudly. “He’s Hawry’s helping dog.”

“Helping dog?” Draco turned his head to look at Harry for clarification.

Harry blushed, slightly embarrassed at the idea of needing a dog to help him get along with everyday life. He and Draco were both pawns in the war and, while for different manipulative wizards, Malfoy had managed to cope without a service dog. Harry couldn’t even act normal with his three year-old godson and yet here was Draco Malfoy, a past death eater, the perfect example of a babysitter.

“Yeah, I got Soldier to help with my uhm, PTSD.” He replied, watching as Teddy handed Draco a cookie before running back outside to play. Soldier stayed dutifully at Harry’s side, recognising that the wizard was uncomfortable and needed the dog’s calming presence.

Draco moved to sit on one of the couches and Harry followed suit, ready to signal at Soldier to give him a reason to leave if the situation got too tense. 

“Did you name him?” Draco asked, before biting into the cookie.

Harry nodded, “Yeah I did.”  
“It’s a good name. Definitely appropriate.” 

Harry was surprised at the comment, but kept his emotions guarded. “Thank you, I thought so too.” After a brief silence, he spoke up again. “Have you been well, since…?”

Draco gave a sad smile, somehow not quite so cautious as Harry. He seemed more carefree and happier than he was at Hogwarts, Harry realised. “Since Voldemort? It was hard afterwards, with father going to Azkaban and all the trials but it got better. It does get better, Harry.”

Harry gave a small smile in return, resting his hand on the dark fur of Soldier’s head. If anyone could understand some of what he had been through it was, surprisingly, Malfoy and for the first time he believed those words. It would get better.

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clarify, I am by no means an expert on PTSD or service dogs. The information in this fanfic is purely from Google.  
> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you want this oneshot to become a series with gradual Drarry.


End file.
